20 DISEASES 



or Peroxyde of Hydrogen, and isolate the dog until the time has passed 

 for any fear of hydrophobia developing. This advice is given to those 

 who believe in the so-termed hydrophobia, and you are referred now to 

 Rabies, where I give fully my own belief on this subject, as well as the 

 ideas of others. In case there is a tear, it may be necessary to bandage 

 or draw together with a few stitches of silk thread. 



Bowels, Inflammation of (Enteritis; Peritonitis). — This is so ably 

 treated by Dalziel, and by experience I know it to be good, that I here re- 

 produce his article in full. The best plan, however, is to at once send for 

 a veterinarian, providing you have one who understands or has made a 

 specialty of treating dogs — anyhow, get the best one in your locality and 

 don't stop to think of what it will cost, for you owe it to your dog to help 

 him out of his trouble if such a thing is possible: 



"The severity and very dangerous charcter of this disease in the dog 

 is such that perhaps the very best advice that can be given to the amateur 

 who finds his valuable dog attacked by it is, send for a qualified veterinary 

 surgeon without delay. The owner may, however, he possessed of sufficient 

 self-confidence as to wish to try his own skill in treating the disease, or 

 the animal may not be considered of sufficient value to incure the expense 

 of employing a professional man, although there may be every desire to 

 save the animal's life; and if I can help in any such commendable endeavor 

 without encouraging useless and ignorant experiments at the cost of torture 

 to the dog, I shall feel that I have been of some little service. Whatever 

 course is determined on, whether home treatment or the calling in of pro- 

 fessional aid, the decision should not be taken till the symptoms have been 

 carefully and minutely observed, and the greatest attention must be paid 

 to them, else there is every fear of the amateur confounding it with and 

 treating it as colic, a disease which, although strongly resembling inflamma- 

 tion in some of its symptoms, differs widely in others, and requires totally 

 different treatment. Colic, if neglected or if wrongly treated, may, and 

 frequently does, end in inflammation, but it is in itself a distinct ailment, 

 and the same remark equally applies to constipation or obstruction of the 

 bowels. As inflammation of the bowels or enteritis is one of the most fatal 

 diseases to which the dog is liable — frequently carrying him off very quick- 

 ly — no half measures will do for it; but, having ascertained clearly from 

 the prevailing symptoms that the disease is actually present, remedial meas- 

 ures must be adopted with promptitude and energy. The main causes of the 

 disease are irregular or improper diet, or it may be irritation caused by the 

 dog having swallowed some hard indegestible substance; exposure to cold 

 and wet may produce it, and it is sometimes the result of ill-usage, such as 

 a kick. 



"Inflamation of the bowels may be distinguished from colic in being 

 more gradual in its approach, and is always ushered in by general feverish- 

 ness; the nose is hot and dry, the eyes red and inflamed, and the whole 

 countenance is expressive of great anxiety; shivering fits occur, the belly is 

 hard and distended, and in the surface hot to the touch; the urine is gener- 

 ally scanty and high colored. As in colic, when standing, the back is arched, 

 the feet are drawn in toward each other, and the tail is tightly tucked be- 



